Best Interintellect Podcasts (2025)

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Susan Abbott: On Democracy, Civil Society, AI, and Media 49:08

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12d ago49:08

49:08

In this episode, host Ravi Joseph speaks with Susan Abbott, a strategist and researcher of democracy and communication. They talk about the relevance of inquiry into democracy today, the possibilities of deliberative democracy, the future of AI in government, and more. Susan’s salon series starting July 2: https://interintellect.com/series/democrac…

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Kenneth Stanley on the Disruptive Power of Open-Endedness 50:28

4d ago50:28

50:28

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman speaks with Kenneth Stanley, a renowned computer scientist and AI researcher whose career spans academia, industry, and startup innovation. Stanley has been a professor, a cofounder of multiple companies, and a researcher at both OpenAI and Uber. He currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Open-Endedness at …

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Clive Thompson on the Ramifications of “Vibe Coding” 52:19

11d ago52:19

52:19

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman speaks with journalist and author Clive Thompson. Known for his thoughtful writing on science and technology—particularly in the realms of computing and programming—Clive contributes to Wired, The New York Times Magazine, Smithsonian, and more. He is also the author of Coders: The Making of a New Tribe and the Remak…

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Alec Nevala-Lee on Buckminster Fuller 48:24

18d ago48:24

48:24

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman sits down with Alec Nevala-Lee, author of numerous books, including Inventor of the Future, a definitive biography of Buckminster Fuller. Buckminster Fuller was an architect, designer, and public intellectual whose influence stretched far beyond blueprints and prototypes. Later in life, he became a lodestar for the …

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Eliot Peper on developing lore around AI agents 54:27

25d ago54:27

54:27

In this episode of The Orthogonal Bet, host Samuel Arbesman welcomes back return guest Eliot Peper. Eliot is a science fiction writer and the author of numerous books, and is currently collaborating with the tech company Portola, which is developing Tolans — AI friends and companions that blur the line between lore and code. Samuel and Eliot delve …

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Anna Gat on Building Interintellect’s Global Agora 46:17

1M ago46:17

46:17

In this episode, host Samuel Arbesman speaks with Anna Gat, founder and CEO of Interintellect. Described as “a curated marketplace of high-quality events hosted by intellectual seekers from all walks of life,” Interintellect is reimagining the salon for the digital age. Arbesman and Gat discuss the origins and evolution of Interintellect, as well a…

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Samuel Arbesman on The Magic of Code 41:36

1M ago41:36

41:36

It’s not every day that we get to fete the launch of a new book by one of our colleagues at Lux Capital, so today is a very special day. Lux’s scientist-in-residence, ⁠Samuel Arbesman⁠, just published his new book,⁠ “The Magic of Code: How Digital Language Created and Connects Our World―and Shapes Our Future.”⁠ It’s a deep dive into the wonderful c…

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Anton Troynikov: Building Chroma, SF and Ambitious Ideas, Tech and Political Power 54:10

1M ago54:10

54:10

In this episode, host Ravi Joseph speaks with startup founder and essayist Anton Troynikov. They talk about Anton’s startup Chroma, the role of grand visions in the San Francisco idea ecosystem, the dialectic of strength and victimhood in contemporary culture, and more. Anton’s Interintellect Salon with Casey Handmer on June 7: https://interintelle…

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Michael Rosen on Golems, Dybbuks & the Four Quadrants of AI 49:10

1M ago49:10

49:10

In this episode, host Samuel Arbesman speaks with Michael Rosen, a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a lawyer focused on technology and intellectual property. Rosen is the author of Like Silicon From Clay: What Ancient Jewish Wisdom Can Teach Us About AI, a provocative new book that offers a framework for understand…

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Nick Bowden on Building a Real World SimCity 53:44

1M ago53:44

53:44

In this episode of The Orthogonal Bet, host Samuel Arbesman speaks with Nick Bowden, CEO of Replica—a company that models mobility in urban environments through a blend of data and simulation. Think of it as a real-world version of SimCity. Arbesman and Bowden explore Nick’s journey from urban planning into the world of public-sector technology. Th…

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Sean Hughes: On Upholding the Integrity of the System 36:37

2M ago36:37

36:37

In this episode, Ravi Joseph speaks with writer and veteran Sean Hughes. They talk about the resilience of the American system, the contemporary relevance of Fukuyama’s End of History thesis, Sean’s journey from the military to the tech world and professional writing, and more. If you like this episode, be sure to check out Sean’s salon co-hosted w…

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Lu Wilson on Art of Creative Coding 42:44

2M ago42:44

42:44

In this episode of The Orthogonal Bet, host Samuel Arbesman speaks with Lu Wilson, a programmer and creative coder who also works as a software engineer at tldraw, a Lux Capital portfolio company. Lu’s creative work is broad, strange, and delightful in all the best ways—perhaps best exemplified by the Todepond videos, a mindbending series that reim…

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Sara Walker on "Life As No One Knows It" 50:02

2M ago50:02

50:02

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman speaks with Sara Imari Walker, a theoretical physicist and astrobiologist at Arizona State University. Walker is the author of Life as No One Knows It: The Physics of Life’s Emergence, a book that explores the nature of life through the lens of physics and highlights her pioneering contributions at the frontier of t…

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Peter Bebergal on the Roots of Dungeons & Dragons 38:46

2M ago38:46

38:46

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman speaks with Peter Bebergal. Peter is a writer and the author of numerous books, and the editor, most recently, of Appendix N: Weird Tales From the Roots of Dungeons & Dragons. Dungeons and Dragons was created by Gary Gygax and draws from numerous sources, which Gygax listed in Appendix N of his Dungeon Master’s Guid…

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Samantha John on Hopscotch the easy bake oven of code 37:41

2M ago37:41

37:41

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman speaks with Samantha John, co-founder of Hopscotch—a delightful programming environment designed for children. Samuel wanted to explore the origins of Hopscotch, its underlying philosophy, and how we might think more broadly about teaching programming to young people. Their conversation spans the history of programm…

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E71: Risk Taking, Contrarianism, and Growth [Byrne on Interintellect] 1:39:33

3M ago1:39:33

1:39:33

In this episode, Byrne Hobart joined Matjaž Leonardis in Austin for an Interintellect salon — a platform for 21st-century intellectual discourse—to discuss his new book Boom: Bubbles at the End of Stagnation, exploring how technological advancements, market paradoxes, and historical and modern financial bubbles — from the Manhattan Project to crypt…

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Torie Bosch on the 26 Lines of Code That Changed the World 43:37

3M ago43:37

43:37

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman sits down with Torie Bosch—now an editor at STAT News and formerly a longtime editor at Slate Magazine. Building on a groundbreaking Slate project, Bosch edited the acclaimed anthology You Are Not Expected to Understand This: How 26 Lines of Code Changed the World, which explores the pivotal snippets of software tha…

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E70: OpenAI’s Open Source Strategy, Volatility & Tariffs, and Automation’s Consequences w/ Byrne Hobart 1:06:31

3M ago1:06:31

1:06:31

This week, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg explore how technological advancements, policy shifts like Trump's tariffs and U.S. industrial policy, the re-industrialization of America, the influence of institutions like Harvard, the evolving role of the U.S. dollar, and the rise of OpenAI are reshaping global markets, businesses, and the future of ar…

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Jason Crawford on The Techno-Humanist Manifesto 36:18

3M ago36:18

36:18

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman speaks with Jason Crawford, a writer and thinker who explores the idea of progress in modern society. Jason is the founder and president of the Roots of Progress Institute, an organization dedicated to developing a modern philosophy of progress. As part of this mission, the institute runs a fellowship for individual…

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E69: Good vs Bad Bubbles, Stagnation, and Bitcoin [Byrne on Bankless] 1:45:48

3M ago1:45:48

1:45:48

In this episode of The Riff, we are releasing a conversation Byrne Hobart had on the Bankless podcast about Byrne's book Bitcoin, exploring the provocative idea that speculative Bubbles—while sometimes destructive—can be powerful drivers of innovation, with examples from history and present-day trends like AI and crypto, ultimately highlighting the…

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John Hendrix on "The Mythmakers" 39:37

3M ago39:37

39:37

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman speaks with John Hendrix. John is a writer and illustrator whose work appears widely across books and publications. His most recent book is the graphic novel The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. This compelling work delves into the enduring friendship between Lewis, author of t…

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Christophe Porot: Theosis, Authenticity, Kant, and Public Philosophy 55:38

3M ago55:38

55:38

In this episode, host Ravi Joseph speaks with philosopher Christophe Porot about the philosophy of religion. They talk about suffering as a path to philosophy, authenticity as a way out of suffering, the possibility of religion after Immanuel Kant’s critique, and more. Christophe’s first God and Humanity salon on May 9: https://interintellect.com/s…

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Nadia Asparouhova on ANTIMEMETICS 39:47

3M ago39:47

39:47

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman speaks with Nadia Asparouhova. Nadia is a writer and thinker who explores the ideas that suffuse the tech world. She is the author of Working in Public, a book about the culture of open source software, as well as the forthcoming Antimemetics: Why Some Ideas Resist Spreading. Antimemetics is a fascinating exploratio…

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E68: Chinese Free Trade, AI Managers, and Why AI Art is Art 53:14

3M ago53:14

53:14

This week, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg discuss the transformative impact of technological change on global trade, AI’s disruption of senior roles, the debate over AI-generated art, and market dynamics—particularly in live entertainment ticketing—offering a wide-ranging and thought-provoking discussion. --- 🙏 Help shape our show by taking our qu…

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Alex Soojung-Kim Pang on REST & SHORTER 40:59

4M ago40:59

40:59

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman speaks with Alex Pang, author of several influential books on rethinking work—particularly how we rest and why spending less time in the office can lead to greater productivity. Pang’s most recent works include REST: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less and SHORTER: Work Better, Smarter and Less—Here’s How. His …

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E67: Hidden X-Risk, Network Effects of Elon’s Empire, and American Hegemony 58:56

4M ago58:56

58:56

This week, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg explore Donald Trump Jr.'s financial leverage of the Trump brand, Dustin Moskovitz's shift toward AI existential risks, Elon Musk's strategic decisions with Twitter, potential U.S. recessions, political party shifts, China's AI policy, and the broader impact of these developments on Wall Street and Main St…

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Lawrence Lundy-Bryan on how data-driven VC is over 41:00

4M ago41:00

41:00

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman speaks with Lawrence Lundy-Bryan, a partner at the venture capital firm Lunar Ventures who specializes in researching the landscape of cutting-edge technological advances. Lawrence has been examining technologies as part of a project called the State of the Future, providing analyses into a large number of new techn…

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Nadia Drake on The Arecibo Message our "Selfie of Humanity" 37:50

4M ago37:50

37:50

On November 16, 1974, the first message meant for the stars was broadcast into space, using a series of zeros and ones to encode an image. This image was designed by Frank Drake, an astronomer who helped develop the modern field of SETI as well as the Drake Equation, a formula which helps scientists think about the likelihood of intelligent life in…

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E66: The Politics of Alex Karp and Palantir, DOGE Breakdown, and AI vs Blogging 56:30

4M ago56:30

56:30

This week, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg explore the effects of technological change on media and society, covering topics such as the AI debate, blogging's social impact, AI's influence on search and data, the changing news industry, foreign aid cuts, and the rise of new tech elites. --- 🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey …

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Vatsal Kaushik: Learning from History, Building with AI 1:01:03

4M ago1:01:03

1:01:03

In this episode, host Ravi Joseph speaks with entrepreneur and engineer Vatsal Kaushik about his upcoming salon on Will Durant’s history books. They talk about why to read about ancient history, the importance of agriculture as a turning point in civilization, his entrepreneurial work building an X curation app with AI, and more. Vatsal’s Interinte…

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Niko McCarty on Building Asimov Press and Writing for Ambitious Readers 49:27

4M ago49:27

49:27

In this episode of The Orthogonal Bet, host Samuel Arbesman speaks with Niko McCarty, the founding editor of Asimov Press. With a background in biology and science journalism, McCarty now leads Asimov Press, a publication dedicated to deep, thoughtful articles at the frontiers of biology and its history. Arbesman, a longtime admirer of McCarty’s wr…

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E65: Bill Gates’s Persona, Against Copying Berkshire Hathaway, and Making the Economy More Like Chipotle 1:01:15

5M ago1:01:15

1:01:15

This week, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg examine why Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway can't be successfully replicated today, analyze Bill Gates's public versus private persona, and consider how economic growth manifests as "premium mediocre" options like Chipotle. --- 🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly…

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Ian Leslie: A New Narrative for The Beatles 1:02:46

5M ago1:02:46

1:02:46

In this episode, host Ravi Joseph speaks with author Ian Leslie. First, they talk about his new book John & Paul, the continued relevance of the Beatles, and the need for a new narrative to understand them. Later in the podcast, they discuss recent developments in politics such as the rightward “vibe shift” in the US and worldwide, and Trump’s unco…

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E64: US vs China’s Strategies, Uber’s Growth Model, AI Supply Chains 1:03:04

5M ago1:03:04

1:03:04

This week, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg discuss technological inflection points and examine how legal frameworks mask continued globalization despite apparent retrenchment, explores US-China dynamics, analyzes AI industry structure and emerging models, and considers Uber's strategic positioning against autonomous vehicles. --- 🙏 Help shape our s…

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Dave Jilk on AI, Poetry, and the Future of AGI 40:10

5M ago40:10

40:10

In this episode, host Samuel Arbesman speaks with ⁠Dave Jilk⁠. Dave is a tech entrepreneur and writer. He’s done a ton: started multiple companies, including in AI, published works of poetry, and written scientific papers. And he’s now written a new book that is an epic poem about the origins of Artificial General Intelligence, told from the perspe…

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Henry Oliver⁠ on Embracing Second Acts 39:44

5M ago39:44

39:44

In this episode, host Samuel Arbesman speaks with the writer ⁠Henry Oliver⁠. Henry is the author of the fantastic new book ⁠Second Act⁠. This book is about the idea of late bloomers and professional success later in life, and more broadly how to think about one’s career, and Sam recently reviewed it for The Wall Street Journal. Sam really enjoyed t…

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Dominic Falcao on How Deep Science Ventures Redefines Deep Tech Innovation 42:27

5M ago42:27

42:27

In this episode, host Samuel Arbesman speaks with Dominic Falcao, a founding director of Deep Science Ventures (DSV), which he created in 2016 after leading Imperial College London’s science startup program. Deep Science Ventures takes a principled and problem-based approach to founding new deep tech startups. They have even created a PhD program f…

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⁠Max Bennett on A Brief History of Intelligence 44:49

5M ago44:49

44:49

In this episode, host Samuel Arbesman speaks with writer, researcher, and entrepreneur⁠ Max Bennett⁠. Max is the cofounder of multiple AI companies and the author of the fascinating book ⁠A Brief History of Intelligence⁠: Evolution, AI, and the Five Breakthroughs That Made Our Brains. This book offers a deeply researched look at the nature of intel…

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⁠Lev Grossman on The Role of Complexity in World-Building 38:06

5M ago38:06

38:06

In this episode, host Samuel Arbesman speaks with novelist ⁠Lev Grossman⁠. A longtime fan of Lev’s novels, the host delves into his works, including ⁠The Magicians trilogy⁠—a splendid set of books about a university for magic, fantastical worlds, and much more. These books are amazing. Lev’s newest book is the novel ⁠The Bright Sword⁠, a retelling …

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Alex Miller⁠ on The Wonders of Graph Paper and Algorithmic Art 44:11

5M ago44:11

44:11

In this episode, host Samuel Arbesman speaks with⁠ Alex Miller⁠, a software developer and artist known for his work on a project called ⁠Spacefiller⁠. This project exemplifies generative art, where computer code is used to create art and imagery. Spacefiller itself is a pixelated form of artwork that feels organic and biological, but is entirely cr…

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⁠J. Doyne Farmer on Complexity Economics 40:17

5M ago40:17

40:17

In this episode, host Samuel Arbesman speaks with ⁠J. Doyne Farmer⁠, a physicist, complexity scientist, and economist. Doyne is currently the Director of the Complexity Economics program at the Institute for New Economic Thinking at the Oxford Martin School and the Baillie Gifford Professor of Complex Systems Science at the Smith School of Enterpri…

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Tarin Ziyaee⁠ on Artificial Life and Robotic Evolution 42:19

5M ago42:19

42:19

In this episode, host Samuel Arbesman speaks with ⁠Tarin Ziyaee⁠, a technologist and founder, about the world of artificial life. The field of artificial life explores ways to describe and encapsulate aspects of life within software and computer code. Tarin has extensive experience in machine learning and AI, having worked at Meta and Apple, and is…

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Omar Rizwan⁠ on Connecting Online Communities to In-Person Programming 36:25

5M ago36:25

36:25

In this conversation, host Samuel Arbesman speaks with ⁠Omar Rizwan⁠, a programmer currently working on ⁠Folk Computer⁠. Omar has a longstanding interest in user interfaces in computing and is now focused on creating physical interfaces that enable computing in a more communal and tangible way—think of moving sheets of paper in the real world and p…

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Eli Altman on The Art of Naming 30:06

5M ago30:06

30:06

In this episode, host Samuel Arbesman Sam speaks with ⁠Eli Altman⁠, the managing director of A Hundred Monkeys, a company that specializes in the art of naming. ⁠A Hundred Monkeys⁠ works with clients to come up with the perfect name for a company, product, or anything else that requires a name. The art of naming is a fascinating subject. Throughout…

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Alex Komoroske on How to Navigate Complexity Within a Large Organizations 42:46

5M ago42:46

42:46

In this episode, host Samuel Arbesman Sam speaks with ⁠⁠Alex Komoroske⁠⁠, a master of systems thinking. Alex is the CEO and co-founder of a startup building at the intersection of AI, privacy, and open-endedness. Previously, he served as the Head of Corporate Strategy at Stripe, and before that, spent many years at Google, where he worked on the Ch…

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Adrian Tchaikovsky⁠ on Bio Trajectories and the Importance of Long-Term Thinking 42:46

5M ago42:46

42:46

In this episode, host Samuel Arbesman speaks with ⁠Adrian Tchaikovsky⁠, the celebrated novelist of numerous science fiction and fantasy books, including his Children of Time series, Final Architects series, and The Doors of Eden. Among many other topics, Adrian’s novels often explore evolutionary history, combining “what-if” questions with an expan…

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John Strausbaugh on The Harsh Realities of the Soviet Space Program 33:46

5M ago33:46

33:46

In this episode, host Samuel Arbesman speaks with John Strausbaugh, a former editor of New York Press and the author of numerous history books. John’s latest work is the compelling new book ⁠“The Wrong Stuff: How the Soviet Space Program Crashed and Burned.”⁠ The book is an eye-opening delight, filled with stories about the Potemkin Village-like sp…

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Michael Levin⁠ on Understanding Embodied Intelligence 43:54

5M ago43:54

43:54

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman speaks with ⁠Michael Levin⁠, a biologist and the Vannevar Bush Professor at Tufts University. Michael’s work encompasses how information is processed in biology, the development of organismal structures, the field of Artificial Life, and much more. Sam wanted to talk to Michael because of his pioneering research in …

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⁠Laurel Schwulst⁠ on The Quest to Build the Fruitful Web 23:03

5M ago23:03

23:03

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman speaks with ⁠Laurel Schwulst⁠. Laurel operates within many roles: designer, artist, educator, and technologist. She explores—among other things—the intersection of the human, the computational, and the wonderful. Sam wanted to talk to Laurel because of this intersection and particularly because of how Laurel thinks …

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Eliot Peper⁠ on The Art of Cultivating Curiosity 35:31

5M ago35:31

35:31

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman speaks with ⁠Eliot Peper⁠. Eliot is a science fiction novelist and all-around delightful thinker. Eliot’s ⁠books⁠ are thrilling tales of the near future, exploring many delightful areas of the world and the frontiers of science and technology. In Eliot’s most recent novel, Foundry, he takes the reader on a journey t…